


Captains Affair

by Lady_Sci_Fi



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2020-01-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:14:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21979408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Sci_Fi/pseuds/Lady_Sci_Fi
Summary: While scouting for possible alien activity, Captain Mike Yates comes across another Captain.
Relationships: Jack Harkness/Mike Yates
Comments: 6
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Because I had to write the two flirty snarky bisexual captains, damn them :P

“Stop! Who are you?” Captain Mike Yates asked of the man in the abandoned factory he had been sent to investigate. He’d been able to sneak up on him from behind.

The man turned around quickly from rifling through the contents of an open crate, the end of his long coat flicking around his shins. “Oh, hello. I thought this place was supposed to be abandoned,” he said in an American accent of some sort.

“So I thought, as well.” Mike looked the other man over. About his height, early-thirties, short brown hair, not-quite normal civilian wear, and… handsome features, if he was being honest with himself. Very handsome, with an air of confidence.

The other man sized Mike up as well. “Ah… UNIT. I’d really rather hoped…”

“Hoped what?” What did he know about UNIT?

“Never mind. I’m Jack Harkness. Captain Jack Harkness.”

“Military captain?”

“Something like that. You?”

Mike raised his brow at the dismissive response. “Captain Mike Yates.”

Jack grinned. “So, what’s a guy like you doing in a place like this?”

Mike recognized the tone, and tilted his head slightly. Was he really…? “I’m asking you the same.”

“We must’ve got the same intel.”

“Or you could be part of what I’m looking for.”

“And you could be the same for me. Look, Captain… may I call you Mike? You can call me Jack. I don't think we need to be suspicious of each other. Something else is here.” He gestured to the open crate behind him. “Take a look at this.”

Mike took a few steps forward to look into the crate. He sighed at the sight of the very non-Human guns. “Yeah, definitely something here, then.” He took his radio off his belt, and flinched back as Jack pushed his hand down. “I have to report this.”

“If you must, which of course you must, could you leave me out of it?”

“What?”

“Personal favour.”

“You haven’t earned any personal favours from me. I don’t even know you.”

“We could get to know each other better,” Jack replied. There was no mistaking the flirtatious tone.

“We’ll see about that,” Mike replied noncommittally.

“Consideration is better than nothing.”

Mike closed his eyes for a second, then raised the radio to his mouth. “Venus to Greyhound.”

“Venus?”

Mike made a dismissive gesture to the other captain and turned away to ignore his grin. “Greyhound, do you read?”

Sergeant Benton’s voice answered. “Greyhound here, sir.”

“Let the Brigadier know I found some alien weapons. I’ll look if there’s any sign of the owners here.”

“Shall we send back-up?” Benton asked.

“I’m only scouting, but that’s a decision for the Brig.”

“Alright, sir. Be careful.”

Mike smiled as he ended the transmission with, “I will.”

“Thanks,” Jack said as Mike clipped the radio back onto his belt.

“We’ll see,” Mike reminded, not entirely convinced on Jack’s presence here, no matter how charming he was trying to be. Was actually being, honestly. But he knew better than to fall for it.

Both men looked above and to their left at a soft distant bang. It only happened once, but it was certainly enough to alert them to someone else’s presence.

“Got a plan, Venus?” Jack teased as he unholstered his gun and kept it aimed to the floor. He took a few steps forward.

Mike followed suit, and corrected, “It’s Mike.”

“Venus definitely suits you, if you don’t mind me saying, Captain.”

Mike couldn’t help the flickering smile, which he was glad Jack couldn't see. “Be that as it may, could you focus on what we’re here for?”

“Oh, I am. Don’t you worry. I’m just occupying the time.”

“Do you always occupy time like that while in hostile territory?”

“Why not? Especially when I’m with… pleasing company.”

Mike let out a breathy little laugh, which he hoped Jack couldn’t hear. He felt a sincerity from the other man. Whatever his mystery, he could find out later. “To get back on track, my plan is to scout out and report what I find.”

“And if an engagement happens?”

“Well, now I’ve got back-up.” He turned to grin at Jack at the same time the other man smirked at him.

They heard another similar sound, and continued forward.

********

Mike glanced around outside of the factory soon after he, Benton, and the men he had brought with him had mopped up the alien and her human cohorts. He and Jack had ended up engaging with them, but had managed to keep them inside until Benton had arrived. But Jack had disappeared as soon as he could safely leave Mike alone after Benton had called out for the UNIT captain.

Mike returned to HQ, did his report (leaving out the detail of Jack’s presence), and was dismissed for the day. He left disappointed that Jack had vanished the way he had.

He began to drive home, and stopped only a minute after leaving the HQ carpark. On the side of the road was Jack standing next to what was presumably his car. Mike rolled down the window, and gestured with his head to follow him. Jack nodded and got in his car to do so.

Mike pulled to the side of the road a few minutes later. and watched in his rearview mirror as Jack stopped behind him. They got out at the same time and approached the other. Mike pointed out, “I thought you didn't want UNIT’s attention. Standing around a minute from our door?”

“No one saw me,” Jack assured.

“You should be more discreet.” Mike’s tongue darted out between his lips as Jack gave him a sultry expression. “Especially with a man in uniform.”

“Ah, right. Sorry, sometimes I forget.” Jack’s expression barely changed with the apology. He took another step closer, and raised his hand to Mike’s cheek. “But a man in uniform is one of my weaknesses… Especially one as good-looking as you, Venus.”

Mike didn’t move away from the other man’s hand, and he grinned widely. “Well, you do something for me, too, Adonis,” he teased, moving in a tiny bit closer.

“It’s Jack.” Jack brought his other hand up to the other side of Mike’s face, and gently pulled him in for a kiss.

This really wasn’t the most ideal place for Mike to kiss a man- in broad daylight, wearing his uniform, only a few minutes away from HQ- but he didn’t move away, and leaned into it. 

“Very nice…” Mike purred of the soft kiss as they pulled apart to breathe. He nodded when Jack asked with his eyes if he could do it again. This time, Mike’s hands settled on Jack’s waist and pulled him in closer after their lips met.

The next kiss, more heated, Jack backed up until he was half-sitting on the hood of his car, and Mike nudged their noses together as they pulled away.

“The way I see it, we have two options,” Mike said, slightly breathlessly.

“I’m listening,” Jack whispered with a kiss to Mike’s jaw.

“You can either buy me dinner, or we can go straight to your place or mine.”

Jack hummed for a few seconds, then answered with complete confidence, “How about your place?”

Mike forced himself away from Jack, the other's hands caressing his cheeks as he did so, before they could get too into it past the point where they would be able to stop. “Follow me, Captain.”

“Of course, Captain.”


	2. Chapter 2

The moment the door to Mike’s flat closed behind Jack, they gripped each other and their mouths practically crashed together in a hard kiss. Jack’s hand again caressed Mike’s cheek as they pulled away to breathe.

Mike’s fingers began undoing the front of his uniform jacket, only for them to be pushed away and replaced by Jack’s. “How do you want…?”

Jack moaned through another kiss, then answered, “Can we end with me under you?”

Mike grinned. “Oh yes, we can definitely do that.”

“Then I don’t-” he broke off in a low groan as Mike’s hands slipped past his coat and settled on his waist. “I don’t care how we get there.”

Mike gently pushed Jack against the nearest wall and wordlessly agreed in his ear. Jack finally got the final button of Mike’s jacket undone, and moved down to Mike’s trousers. Mike found the clasp for Jack’s suspenders.

They paused to look down at the exposed skin of each other’s torso as they finally got shirts unbuttoned and pushed open. Mike noted the thicker musculature, and bit his lip in anticipation of what was under the rest of the clothes.

“Still think me worthy of Venus?”

“Still think me worthy of Adonis?”

They yanked each other into another passionate kiss, and soon made their way to Mike’s bedroom, carelessly leaving their clothes in a trail on the floor.

********

Mike rolled off of Jack, tired and breathing heavily in that oh so very satisfying and blissful way. Very satisfied and happy, indeed, having received so much from Jack and given so much to him. “You’re amazing,” he complimented through a heavy breath.

“Don’t forget yourself in that,” Jack responded, turning his head and matching the other’s giddy grin.

“Oh, I would never.”

“Good.” Jack rolled over onto his side to prop his head up on and elbow and stare down at the other captain. His other hand lazily traced patterns in the lean muscle of Mike’s chest and abdomen.

Mike stared back up at him, and took that hand to kiss the fingers for a moment before releasing it. Then he craned his neck up to capture the other man’s lips in a soft kiss. During it, Jack wrapped his arm around Mike’s middle and pulled him half on top of him as he fully laid back against the pillows.

“You’re so beautiful,” Jack whispered, repeating what he’d said when he’d had Mike under him as he’d prepared him. He raised his index finger to brush down the side of the other’s nose.

Mike blushed slightly at the compliment, despite everything they’d just done. “Not so bad yourself, Captain.”

“I like to think I’m more handsome than beautiful.”

“Now you’re being semantic.”

“And romantic?”

Mike laughed lightly. “We went past that a good while ago.”

They simply laid there together for several minutes, quietly enjoying the other’s company with lazy touches and kisses.

And some things about Jack’s mystery began to click in Mike’s mind. He bit his bottom lip for a short moment, before cautiously and quietly asking, “Are you… stuck here?”

“Stuck here?” Jack looked down to Mike’s curious expression. “Like… an American stuck in Great Britain because my passport or visa got frozen?”

Mike sighed a tiny bit. Another click. Jack could’ve simply said that as his answer, but he hadn’t. “No. not like that. I mean…” What he was about to say would no doubt make him seem mad if he was guessing wrong. “I mean, stuck here, in this time.”

Jack stilled, and his brows rose. Mike responded with a tiny smile and, “I’ll take that as a yes?”

“What makes you think that?”

“Oh, a few things.” Mike pushed himself over onto his side to prop his head up and get a better look at the other man. “Your vagueness, when we met, for one.”

“Bound to cause some suspicion.”

“You seemed to know what UNIT is straight away, and didn't want anyone else from there to know you were around.” Mike smiled teasingly, “Excepting risking being close enough to catch me on my way home.”

“You’re certainly no fool.” Jack said it in a way that made it obvious he never thought the opposite was true.

“And… well, I know we haven’t exactly talked much, but the way you talk is… a bit off. You sort of sound like the- a friend of mine. I can't explain it, but it’s there.”

“The Doctor, you mean.”

Mike nodded, hoping Jack would say the name. “So, what’s your deal? And if you know the Doctor, why stay away from UNIT?”

“I do know him. But he doesn't know me... yet.”

“Ah…” Mike nodded in understanding. “So, you have to stay away from him to keep your timelines intact.”

“Precisely. It’s hard, but that’s what I’ve been dealt.”

Mike wanted to ask more, but got the sense Jack didn’t want to answer any more questions about his situation. Still, he did conclude, “This won’t be a regular thing, then,” He clasped the other man’s hand to indicate what he meant.

“Unfortunately, no.” Jack leaned forward to kiss Mike on the mouth gently. “Probably shouldn’t again. Risky enough, already, with you being UNIT and connected to this Doctor here.”

“So, why risk it?”

Jack smirked. “I told you, a very good-looking man in uniform is one of my weaknesses.”

“Must be a terrible weakness,” Mike laughed.

“So terrible. A curse, really,” Jack teased back. He stroked his thumb across Mike’s jaw. “A pity.”

“Well, I think we’ve made the time count?”

“Definitely. So…” Jack caressed Mike’s neck before kissing him tenderly again. “Got your eye on anyone?”

Mike raised his brow. “You seriously asking me if I fancy anyone else, soon after we had sex?”

Jack shrugged. “You don’t have to answer.”

Mike couldn't help the little laugh, and answered, “Well, yeah. There’s someone.”

“Oh? Man, woman?”

“You’re really curious?”

“Tell me?”

“I really shouldn’t…”

“I won’t tell anyone, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Mike considered him a moment, then said, “No, you wouldn’t. It’s just... “ He blushed, this time from embarrassment.

“Come on,” Jack encouraged.

“Alright, alright.” It wasn’t really a struggle to decide to tell this handsome stranger. “His name’s John.”

“John have a last name?”

“Benton,” It took him several seconds to admit it.

“Benton…” Jack’s expression lit up after a short moment. “That guy who came to help you at the factory? I think I saw him briefly. Big, dark-haired?”

“Yeah, that Benton.”

“So, what’s special about him, other than the obvious? Quite a looker, in a handsome and very cute sort of way.”

Mike snorted in amusement. Not far from how he would describe the sergeant’s looks. “Strong and sensitive type.”

Jack nodded slowly. “I could fall for strong and sensitive.”

“Hey!” Mike swatted Jack’s shoulder half-jokingly.

Jack winked. “I wouldn’t do that to you.” He nudged Mike’s thigh with his knee. “Going to ask him on a date?”

“There are so many reasons why that would be a bad idea.”

“You don’t know until you try.”

Mike gave him a sidelong glance, then stared down at the sheets between them. “Too risky.”

“As risky as me taking an attractive captain to bed tonight?”

Mike looked back up with a tiny smile. “At least that risky.”

“Well, this risk was definitely worth it.”

Mike took a deep breath. “I’ll think about it.” He looked up and down Jack’s naked body, and his tongue darted out. “But for right now… stay the night?”

“Oh, you’d have to kick me out.”

Mike trailed his hand up Jack’s thigh. “You’d have to work very hard to make me kick you out.”

********

Mike awakened to Jack tenderly nuzzling his nose in his hair. Mike’s arm over the other’s waist squeezed briefly. The faintest of morning light filtered through the closed curtains.

“Morning,” Jack quietly greeted.

“Morning.” Mike breathed deeply, his hand moving down to rub at Jack’s thigh. It passed over the fabric of his boxer briefs, both men having had redressed in their underwear as they ate the dinner Mike had made.

“I should go soon, you know.”

Mike hummed against the other man’s shoulder in acknowledgment.

“But, before I do…” Jack drew Mike’s face up to look at it, his hand coming to rest on the side of the other’s face and feather-lightly stroking the skin with his thumb.

“Once more?” Mike asked, hoping he had read the intention right.

“Hell yes.”


	3. Chapter 3

Mike fruitlessly tried to smooth his long hair back while he waited in line at the bank. His thoughts strayed to just how long it was now, far past what even the Brigadier leniently allowed. But that… that had been over six months ago by now. And he… 

“Next, please,” a teller called out, pulling Mike from his thoughts before they could get depressing again.

Mike stepped forward. Maybe he would call Sarah tonight, go out somewhere with her if she was available. Maybe draw up the courage to ask her how Benton was doing. But that would mean telling her about the relationship that had ended and he really didn’t want to delve into how much it still hurt. How much he missed the other man’s presence in his life. How much it all still…

“I can help whoever’s next.”

Mike flinched this time, and stepped forward again. Yes, he should call Sarah, anyway. Hopefully spend a couple hours at either his place or hers, at least.

He turned his head to the side to absently glance around the large bank lobby, and blew out a breath of impatience at the long line ahead of him. His gaze caught on a woman near the front, and his years of being with UNIT gave him the sense that something was wrong. He watched as she gave a short wave to someone behind Mike, not exactly a suspicious action. But Mike turned anyway to see who it might’ve been, and spotted a man giving a near-identical wave back. But it was the flash of metal visible on his belt, that let Mike know his instincts had been correct. The handle of a gun. That man then waved to another.

Mike quickly turned to face in front of him, mind racing with what to do. He didn’t have a firearm on him, of course, or at all. He’d had to give back his service gun when he’d… retired.

What now… what now…

Then something exploded. Mike crouched low, among everyone else screaming and shouting and dropping to the floor, and looked into the office that was now smoldering with a strange blue-green smoke and embers. He hoped it had been empty.

Unfortunately, the unnatural colours of the explosion made this more complicated. It very likely meant non-Human weaponry, and he wondered if the gun also wasn’t normal.

“Everyone down, and cooperate. You won’t get another warning!”

The customers and employees were quickly separated and moved around by the seven people doing this attack or heist or whatever it was. Mike managed to slip away from his group unseen, and hid behind a desk in a dark office.

There was no way he was going to make it to the front door or any way out from here. Especially not with the two people near the entrance. He risked picking up the phone on the desk, only to discover it wasn’t working. He didn’t get too disheartened by that. Surely one of the tellers would’ve pressed their panic buttons. But what to do next, out of sight and out of mind of the hostile group…

“Sir, are you alright?”

Mike flinched and turned at the close and quiet voice, and brought his hands up, ready to fight off what was no doubt one of the people. But instead, crouching down in front of him was… “Jack?” There was no mistaking it. That handsome face hadn’t changed at all in five years.

Jack’s brow furrowed for a second. “Mike?” Then he grinned. “Took me a moment, with the long hair. Love it, by the way.”

Mike couldn't help the amused shake of his head. “Figures. How did you get in here?”

“Upper window. Quite tricky, and not a way back up to it.”

“I see.” Mike gestured out to the lobby with his head. “Friends of yours?”

“Not friends of yours?” Jack teased back.

“Ah, no.” He reported, “They have some sort of blue smoke and explosive weapons, in addition to handguns. Did you see if police were on their way before you dropped in?”

“No.” Jack glanced over the top of the desk for a moment. “I count… five.”

“Seven, last I saw.” Mike corrected as Jack ducked back down next to him.

“I doubt those are regular guns,” Jack added. He looked directly at Mike. “So, Captain, ideas?”

Mike briefly grimaced at the rank, but quickly refocused. “You thinking to take them out ourselves?”

“If they’ve got weapons that they shouldn’t…”

“Jack, I don’t have a firearm on me. I just came here to deposit money.”

“No problem,” Jack pushed his long coat aside to unholster a gun on his belt. As he handed it over, he said, “We’ll handle this without these, if we can.” He took out another one.

“But it doesn’t hurt to be ready,” Mike finished the sentiment.

Then one of the hostiles began speaking loudly to the assembled hostages. Mike and Jack exchanged a glance at the threat and something about a test that was to be done on the hostages.

“Right, can’t let that happen,” Mike said.

“We’ll be on both sides of this door. I’ll step out, get their attention, and stall them until police arrive.”

“I’m your back-up,” Mike concluded with a nod.

The pair crawled from behind the desk to either side of the door, and stood. Jack put his weapon on his belt, while Mike kept hold of his borrowed one. Jack nodded to him, then smiled confidently and stepped into view.

“Hey!” Jack shouted out. As soon as everyone’s attention snapped to him, he said, “There’s no need for things to get ugly.”

“I thought I told you all to check the offices!” the leader hissed to his people. To Jack, he demanded, “Who are you?”

“Just someone who doesn’t want any violence.”

“With what authority?”

The stalling lasted another minute before the leader became annoyed and shot at Jack. Mike’s eyes widened at the purple flash, but he kept himself from crying out as the other man dropped to the floor. Jack scurried to him as another purple energy shot went over his head and struck the desk.

“Not a Human weapon,” Jack whispered with a grunt of pain. He lifted his hand to take a look at it. Mike saw the dark burn that went across the back of his hand. “Only grazed.” Jack shook it to work through the pain.

“Come back out here! You can’t hide.” Several more shots were let loose past Mike and Jack.

“At least their attention is on us,” Mike whispered.

“What we want,” Jack agreed.

“Get in there after him!”

That was the only warning the two men got before two of the hostiles rushed in to apprehend Jack. They hadn’t expected Mike, which gave the pair an upper hand.

It took a moment for Mike to knock out one, striking him on the side of the head with the butt of his gun. He really didn’t want to kill anyone if it could be avoided. He turned to help Jack, only to freeze at the enemy firearm pointed at him.

Almost in slow-motion, he saw the finger begin to squeeze the trigger, and he raised his own weapon in response. But then Jack sprang up from the floor and covered the barrel of the enemy’s gun with his hand.

Jack cried out as the energy shot activated, and the hostile man kept squeezing the trigger for a continuous beam. But Jack kept his hand wrapped over it firmly for the next few seconds, until the man went down with a shot to the shin from Mike. Jack’s injured hand dropped to his side, but he served a hard punch with his other to make sure the hostile stayed down.

“What the hell is going on in there? Idiots! Bring him out!”

Mike didn’t have time to look at the new damage to Jack’s hand before the sounds of multiple sirens blared out from outside the bank. “Put your hands up, we have the exits covered with armed men!”

Mike peered around the door, and shot the gun aimed at the front door out of one hostile’s hands. Jack scooped up his gun from where it had slid across the floor during the fight, and shot another weapon from its owner. The remaining three turned their attention to the dark office, which gave the police outside the opportunity to rush in.

“My cue to leave,” Jack said quietly, as it was clear the police would be able to handle it now.

“Wait, you can’t just-” Mike hissed.

“I don’t want to be questioned right now, on everything. Not my style.” He turned to the connecting small corridor where he had entered the office before.

Mike glanced down at the gun still in his hand, and decided he didn't want that kind of attention, either. He’d done a good deed, helped save people. That was enough for him. As for the strange weapons, Mike knew the police would turn them over and they would end up safe in UNIT’s hands. “Wait, you need this back,” he said of the gun, giving himself another excuse to follow the other man.

Both men quietly ran down the corridor, found a locked back exit, which Jack made short order of with some small electronic device.

Once both were free and in a nearby alleyway, Mike handed Jack back his gun, and winced at the sight of the other, damaged, hand. The graze on the back was mild by comparison to the palm and inner wrist, which were bloody from a large hole in the middle, and the surrounding skin burnt very dark. “That looks bad. We should go to hospital.”

“It’s fine, nothing to worry about.” Jack dismissed, though the expression on his face showed that it was very painful, especially now that the adrenaline was wearing off.

“Fine?” Mike gently grabbed Jack’s forearm to get a better look, not that he needed it. He didn’t feel particularly nauseous, having seen gruesome injuries while with UNIT, but it still wasn't pleasant. “This isn’t something you can patch up on your own. It needs proper medical attention.”

Jack withdrew his hand and his fingers loosely curled. “Hurts like hell. But it’ll be fine, I promise. And a negligible price to make sure you got out alright.”

“Jack, please, I’d rather you not-”

Jack shushed him, held out his trembling hand, and said, “Watch.”

To Mike’s astonishment, the damaged flesh began to heal. “What? How?”

“Part of a gift from a friend.” Jack watched the progress for a moment. “I think it’ll be done in a few minutes.”

Mike looked up to the other’s face. “Just like that?”

“Pretty much.”

“Wow… that’s some gift.”

Jack let his hand drop to his side, and leaned back against the wall, grinning at Mike.

Mike held his gaze for a several seconds before asking, “What?”

“You know… Your hair looks great like that. Makes you look very-”

“If you say I’m pretty-”

“You’re pretty.”

Mike held the other’s clear desiring and inviting expression for two seconds, then grinned. He practically pounced at Jack with a kiss, capturing the other man’s accepting lips.

Jack’s uninjured hand slid up Mike’s arm and shoulder to caress his neck, and he turned his head to leave a line of kisses up Mike’s jaw. Mike’s hand settled on Jack’s waist, almost keeping him against the wall, while his other went up to run his fingers through Jack’s hair.

Here he was again, snogging Jack Harkness where and when he probably shouldn’t be. And again, he didn’t care.

Jack moved his hand up to the side of Mike’s face and continued kissing him properly again.

A few minutes later, during another break to breathe, Jack held Mike’s hand with his now healed one. “Your place?”

“Not far.”

They kissed again, one more to tide them over between leaving their semi-secluded spot and getting to the full privacy of Mike’s flat.


	4. Chapter 4

Mike had walked to the bank, so the pair walked back, only taking about fifteen minutes with their brisk pace. They allowed the backs of their hands to brush against the others, but that was all they were going to risk in public.

When Mike locked the door of his flat closed behind them, Jack took his hand and drew him into a soft kiss. His other hand again came up to caress Mike’s cheek, pushing aside the hair to do so. “Were you going for pretty?” he teased.

Mike shook his head with a small laugh. “Not really.” He pushed Jack’s coat open to slip his hands around and up his back. “It just happened, like how astoundingly handsome happened to you.”

Jack grinned at the compliment, then took his forearms and turned them around until Mike was against the wall, all the while eagerly kissing his neck.

“J-John…” Mike stopped for a split-second, and hoped the other man hadn’t noticed the slip. “Jack…” He held Jack close, his eyelids fluttering at the tender and passionate attention to the sensitive skin of his neck and collarbone. He turned his head to kiss the side of the other’s head and nuzzled his nose in the dark hair.

It didn't take long for both to begin to undress the other, and they soon ended up in Mike’s bedroom, their clothes strewn across the floor in the hallway behind them. Mike practically pounced on Jack, knocking him backwards onto the bed and straddling his waist. Jack managed to push them over until he was on top, and grinned down at Mike.

Mike pushed himself up and looped his arms around Jack’s upper back to pull him down for a hard kiss.

********

Mike stared up to Jack’s adoring face as he looked down at him. Jack’s fingers absentmindedly stroked through the hair at the side of Mike’s head. The sex had been amazing and wonderful, like their first time, and both needed a while to come down from the blissful high.

“Stay?” Mike asked quietly.

“Of course.” Jack’s hand moved down to trail across the other man’s chest. “How could I not?” He was content simply gazing at him for a minute, then he asked, “Are you alright?”

Mike’s brow furrowed. “Alright? Of course I am.”

“You sure?”

Mike exhaled through his nose. He found Jack’s hand on his chest, the previously injured one, and brought it up to look at it and play with the fingers, almost looking for any sign of the damage that had been done to it.

“Mike?”

MIke kissed the palm of Jack’s hand before he sat up more. “What makes you think I’m not?”

Jack shrugged. “You seem a little more... “

Mike understood the sentiment without needing to hear a specific word.

“You’re not an army captain or in UNIT anymore?”

Mike hesitated a moment, then shook his head. “What gave that away?”

“Your hair, for one. Unless you’ve been undercover or on leave for a long while, that’s way out of regulation,” Jack responded lightly.

The corners of Mike’s mouth lifted. “The Brigadier always was a little lenient about that.”

“Surely you’ve passed his limit,” Jack lightly laughed, combing his fingers through said hair. Then his expression turned quiet again. “And… when I called you captain at the bank, you looked uncomfortable for a second.”

“Yeah…” Mike let out a long exhale. “Things haven’t quite… gone the way I wanted lately.”

“What happened? Unless me asking will get me kicked out?”

Mike half-smiled at the joke. “It won’t.” He fixed Jack with a sad but resigned sort of stare. “Truth is, if things were going right, you wouldn’t be here right now, in my bed.”

Jack tilted his head slightly. “John? Was it Benton?”

Mike grimaced. “Yeah.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Not your fault,” Mike said, shaking his head. “I had to leave UNIT, he needed to leave me. Both because of what I’d done.” He cleared his throat at some remembered words of Sarah’s. “I mean, what I’d been forced to do.”

“That bad?”

“What happened couldn’t have been much worse if it had succeeded.” Mike didn’t want to talk about the details. He was grateful that Jack didn’t ask for them.

“What you’d been forced to do…” Jack mused. Then he placed a kiss to Mike’s forehead. “Doesn't sound like your choice.”

“Doesn’t matter now,” Mike shook his head. “It’s been over six months.”

“It does. Not like my hand. What happened to you still… hurts. And that’s fine for it to.”

Mike hummed in appreciation. “It’s just… hard, you know? I’m trying to work through it, and sometimes it’s very difficult when the self-blame and… and worse kicks in. Some of the things, whether I wanted to do them or not, are… unforgivable, I think.” Drawing a gun on Benton, for instance. “If I hadn’t been so weak…”

Jack gave a tiny assuring smile before confessing, “Mike, I’ve done some bad things in my time. Stupid, selfish things. All of it my choice. And then, for some reason, the Doctor took me in.” His fingers brushed down the other’s cheek. “You didn’t want to do those things.” He leaned in very close, and whispered, “Neither of us are beyond forgiveness and redemption.”

Mike gently took Jack’s face between his hands and pulled him in the rest of the way for a long tender kiss of appreciation. “Thanks,” he breathed as they pulled apart.

Jack cleared his throat. “Do you have anyone? I mean-”

Mike didn't need clarification. “Yes. Sarah. She’s… she’s been a godsend.” Mike smiled lightly. “She’s said things similar to what you just did.”

“Good. Reinforcement.”

“I don’t know where I’d be without her. An absolute mess, no doubt.” He grinned a little. “I was actually going to call her tonight.”

“You still could, let me meet her, and we all could-”

“Oh no,” Mike chuckled, quickly seeing where the other man's mind was going. It was obvious he was teasing. “She and I don’t have that kind of friendship.”

Both men laughed, breaking the melancholy conversation. When it subsided, Mike teased, “And I’m quite content having only you here right now.”

Jack smiled sincerely. “That’s certainly good enough for me.”

********

“So, this is going to sound silly, but please don’t laugh?” Mike said as they were sitting on the couch eating dinner Jack had made.

“Laugh? Why would I do that?”

“I was… I was thinking about-” He tapped at his temple. The idea had first briefly surfaced a couple days ago when he’d seen something in a magazine. “What about meditation? You know, Buddhism and the like?” To his relief, Jack didn’t laugh, instead giving him a reassuring smile.

“I’ve heard that stuff works for some people. If you think it might help get your mind in better order, it’s worth a try.” Jack tilted his head. “You think Sarah would think it’s silly?”

Mike shrugged. “She’s a no-nonsense kind of girl.” He chuckled a little at that. “Although she has willingly invited in nonsense that comes with being around the Doctor, so…” He took another bite of pasta.

“Yeah, nonsense comes with the territory with him,” Jack agreed.

“I mean, I don’t think she’d laugh, but… well, it’s a bit of a stretch for me.” He sighed. “Anyway, I think I’ll look into it. Can’t hurt.”

After they had finished eating, the pair sat on the sofa again. Mike walked his fingers up the visible sliver of Jack’s chest through the borrowed robe. Jack untied the waist to let him have access to the rest.

“Thanks for staying.” Mike kissed his way up the other man’s chest to his neck.

A pleased moan escaped through Jack’s parted lips. “I haven't given you a reason to kick me out yet.”

“You better not.” Mike shifted to practically melt into Jack’s arms comfortably.

Jack squeezed Mike tightly for a couple seconds, and snorted a little as the other man’s breath tickled his neck. He turned to place a soft kiss to Mike’s forehead, then drifted down to his mouth. Mike lifted his hand to caress the side of Jack’s neck, and they continued on.


	5. Chapter 5

Mike sighed at the second round of knocking on the front door of the White Hart pub. Couldn’t whoever it was read the sign that they weren’t open yet? Their staff wasn’t even in yet. It was only him and Benton, who always came in early to do some things before opening their pub.

Maybe if he ignored them, they would get the hint and go away. He checked his watch. There was another half-hour before they opened.

He finally gave in at the fourth round of knocking. “Alright, alright,” he said as he headed for the door. He grumbled, “Why you can’t simply read…”

Mike grasped the door handle, not bothering to look through the glass of the door, saying as he pulled it open, “We’re not open yet, so if you’ll kind-” And then he froze.

“I heard this was a good place for a captain to come for a drink?”

“You have got to be joking.” It took Mike a long moment of absolute disbelief to find his voice. “Jack?” The other man didn’t look like he had aged a day since he’d last seen him, which was not long before that giant spider situation. Mike self-consciously pushed back his long loose mostly-grey hair. Not that it stayed behind his ear, of course. Maybe this was Jack before he had become stuck in the past and didn’t know him.

Jack smiled widely and warmly. “Hey, Mike.”

That possibility went away with that simple greeting. “You… What are you…?”

“I would think that obvious. I’m here to see you, beautiful.”

Mike stepped back to let Jack inside and closed the door behind him. “You’re seriously here to see me?”

“I wouldn’t lie about that.” Jack brought his hand up to Mike’s face, settling it on his cheek.

Mike smiled softly, and pulled him into a hug. At the kiss to his cheek, he chuckled and lightly warned, “Better be careful with that.”

Jack grinned as he pulled away, but both kept their arms around the other. “Someone make an honest man out of you?”

Mike nodded. “Not officially, but… for a long time.”

“I’m glad.” Jack gripped the sides of Mike’s jumper for a second before they let go and he stepped back.

“Mike? Was someone knocking?” Benton called out as he emerged from the back area. He stopped at the sight of the stranger, then looked to Mike in confusion. “Hello?”

Mike looked between the two men and smiled. “Jack, this is John Benton. John, this is Jack Harkness.”

“John Benton,” Jack breathed. “Even better.” He looked so genuinely happy for them, and did a playful salute.

It took Benton a moment to remember the other’s name. “Didn’t you tell me about him once, years ago?”

“Yeah,” Mike affirmed.

Jack stepped closer to Benton. “May I?”

Benton looked to Mike, who guessed, “I think he wants to kiss your cheek.” At Jack’s nod, Benton smiled a little and nodded back.

Jack took Benton’s hand and stepped in close to press his mouth to the side of Benton’s face for a couple seconds. Benton’s mouth spread into his adorable smile at the sweet gesture. He also returned the one-armed hug. Mike was relieved that his partner was interested in getting to know the other man better. Not as intimately as Mike had years ago, certainly, but talking, and the inevitable flirting from the captain, was definitely on the table.

When he pulled away, Jack’s free hand took Mike’s, so that he now held both of theirs. He looked them over, and shook his head in adoration. “You two, I’m so glad. You make a very handsome couple. How long?”

“A couple months after we met the second time,” Mike answered.

“Good. That’s so good.”

“How are you… Did you time-travel from here soon after we last saw each other?”

Jack shook his head. “Gift from that same friend. I can explain it, if you want.”

The three of them stood there for a moment, until Benton cleared his throat. “We’ve still got a few things to do before we open.”

“Oh, right, yes. Sorry,” Jack let go of their hands. “Don’t let me hold you up.”

“But after our staff arrives, the three of us could go in the back office, drink, eat, and catch up?” Mike invited.

“I wouldn't mind,” Benton replied, sliding his arm around Mike’s waist.

“I’m not going to pass that up,” Jack answered.

“Well, shouldn’t be much longer. You can sit at one of the tables until then,” Benton offered. He kissed Mike’s temple before he let go to return to what he’d been doing. Mike put his hand on Jack’s shoulder before he also left to work.

A little while later, the three of them gathered in the office, with food, drinks, and each other’s enjoyable company.

After a couple hours, they left the pub together. Jack was invited to stay with them at their home, which he accepted. They soon settled on the sofa, Mike between Benton and Jack. They continued on, telling stories of their life and past adventures.

Mike kissed Benton’s temple briefly and leaned back against him, then placed his hand on Jack's knee, watching him as they all talked. He was glad, even if it was once again only for one night, to see Jack Harkness again. 


End file.
